Swimming apparatus.



C. HOMEWOOD. SWIMMING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 001*. 1a, 1914.

1,128,682. Patented Feb. 16,1915.

witnesses.

enemas nomnwoon, 0'1" wArEnLoo, IOWA.

*swmame APPARATUS.

Specification o! Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 16, 1915.

To. all whom it may mean Beit known that I, Canines "Homiwoon, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Waterloo, Blackhawk county, Iow'a;, have inve'nteilf'certain'new and useful Improvements fin-Swimming Apparatus, of which the-following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in swimming 'ap ara'tu's, and theobject ofmy improvement is to provide an aid forswiinmers use, being the provision of flexible pockets adapted to be "mounted upon the limbs of the swimmer, said pockets adapted to collapse when the "limbs are to be moved forwardly, and to'open out and 'engage'the water when the limbs are moved against the water to propel the body. This'object I have accomplished by the means which are hereinafter described and claimed, and which'are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: I

Figure 1 is a view of the outer side of an arm on which my improved swimming pockets are mounted, and Fig. 2 is the view of the opposite side of said arm, showing similar pockets mounted thereon. Fig.' 3 is a view of one side of a leg with similar pockets mounted thereon, and Fig. 4 is a view of the opposite side of said leg, with like pockets mounted thereon. Figs. 5 and (3 are enlarged views of said pockets, showing them respectively in the closed and open positions. Fig. 7 is a transverse section of a sleeve and the pockets on opposite sides thereof. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a part of a sleeve having a plurality of pockets mounted therealong, said ,pockets being arranged to pass completely around the sleeve. Fig. 9 is a transverse section of the sleeve and one of the pockets shown in said Fig. 8.

Similar numerals of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several news.

I am aware that solid paddle-shaped bodies have been hinged in ahnement along fixed supports adapted to be mounted upon the limbs of a swimmer for use in facilitating swimming. It is obvious, however, that such appliances are very cumbersome, inconvenient in use, and very apt to get out of order, and are also extremely liable to get caught in clothing or objects which may the water on the power strokes.

be situated in the water, such as'vegetation,

"branches, or other obstructions.

My invention is designed to obviate all these inconveniencies.

The numeral 2 denotes an elastic sleeve,

which may be an armlet, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or a legging as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The open ends of the sleeve may be thickened, as shown, to strengthen them at these places, and prevent the detaching thereof from the limb. On opposite sides of both the armlet 2 and the logging 5, are arranged rows of pockets 1, preferably of progressively decreasing sizes in the direction extendin from the Wider to the nu"- rower ends 0 the same. The pockets are preferably cut of triangular shape and attached to the sleeve in such a manner, as to open obliquely to one side thereof. However, the pockets may open differently, but it is requisite that they should open in a direction somewhat rearwardly in the line of movement. Since the movements of the limbs in swimi'ni'n'g'are largely side'wi's'e as well as Tearwardly, it is better to have the pockets open obliquely as shown, inorder to better enga When t e swimmer is progressing forwardly and thrusts out the arms forwardly, the pockets collapse flatly as shown in Fig. 5, and offer no opposition to progress through the water. When the limbs are thrust back the pockets open out into the position shown in said Fig. 6, and thus engage the water most efiiciently in aiding the swimmer in his forward movement. The sleeve shown in said Figs. 8 and 9, has the pockets so cut and arranged as to completely extend around the sleeve, and are attached thereto at one longitudinal edge and may open downwardly, when on the leg sleeve 5, and a part thereof will lie close to the sleeve under the action of gravity when the sleeve is horizontal. Since the pocket is of so large an extent, in order to prevent its becoming inverted, I connect a short flexible cord 4 between the middle part of its free edge and the sleeve. This cord not only prevents inversion of the pockets, but also prevents its sticking fast to the sleeve while holding it out a little way therefrom, so that water may enter therebetween. The pockets 3 may also be cut obliquely to the length of the sleeve as desired, and the pockets'maybe shown, and may claimas V plurali upon the sleeve than is made of a different 'form, without departing from the principle of my invention. Preferably,-both the sleeve and the kets thereon are made from softindia rub r, flexible and elastic.-

A loop 6 may be" ttached toone'end of the legging 5 to pass about the foot, in order to retain the leggings; place. y

Having descri my invention, what I new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: 1 1. A swimming apparatus, comprising a g of pockets, arranged obliquely to open si ewise angularly to the limb ofthe person on which they are mounted.

2. A apparatus, comprising a otherwise arran I plurality of elastic pockets arranged to open obliquely to one side of the limb of .the wearer, and a sleeve-on which said pockets are mounted.

3. A swimming apparatus, comprising an elastic sleeve, a lurality of obliquely opening elastic poc ets mounted thereon, and means for preventing the inverting of the Pwk 4. A swimming apparatus, comprising an elastic sleeve, and flexible obliquely opening pockets mounted on opposite sides thereof.

5. A a paratus, comprising an elastic sleeve, a exible pocket mounted thereon to open obliquely relative thereto, and a cord connecting the open end of the pocket with the sleeve.

6. A swimming apparatus, comp an elastic sleeve. a plurality of alined p ets thereon o the same direction and obliquely relative to' said sleeve and each extending completely about the sleeve.

7. A device, comprising pocket adapted to detachably secured stroke of said limb.

8. A device comprising a sleeve, and a flexible pocliet thereon, the pocket being flexed and secured to the sleeve along lines meeting at an angle to open obliquely relatively to the length of the sleeve.

swimming device, comp a sleeve, and a plurali of flexibld g o ciets thereon, each pocket g flexed and secured to the sleeve along diverging lines to cause the ct to o obliquely relatively toithe length of the eeve. 10..A sw' device, com alined therealong and opening in .the same direction,ieach pocket exed and secured to the sleeve along diverging lines to cause the pocket to open obliquely relatively to the length of the sleeve, and the successive pockets being partially overlapped over the I ones adjacent thereto.

Signed at Waterloo,

Iowa, this 26th day of Sept, 1914.

p 7 CHARLES'HOMEWOOD. Witnesses:

W. H. BRUNN,

Pram. Smmmx,

a obliquely to a limb of the wearer, and opening against the water during the side powera sleeve, and a plurality of flexib e poc ets 

